JEW=BATTING IN- SOUTH; AFRICA .-« 7: -r Special Week roport ..
Cries of "Go back to Isracol" and “Look how the Jews are getting up" have figured in angry exchangos in the South African House of Assembly in recent weeks whon white radicals such as Mrs. Helen Suzmann (Progressive Party) have tried to speak, The racialist South African government again echoes tho worst aspects of supromacist policies.
This fresh outburst of anti-somitism is nothing new in South Africa and Verwoerd is no new-comor to this activity. As long ago as 1938 his first ontry into politics was marked by his opposition to allowing refugees from Hitler's extormination policy to shelter in South Africa. As editor of "Die Transvaler" he supported the then ruling that no Jew could become a momber of tho National Party. He was in favour of discriminating against Jews in the professions, advocating a "Quota System" whereby they would find important posts rationed amongst the Jewish community, and recruitment restricted. iiven after the Second World War, Jews could not become members of the National Party in tho Transy.ale
Recent outbursts are prompted by the fact that major defendents in the Rivonia trial which continues this week are known to be Jows. Justice Minister, Vorstor, claims that 80% of white radicals are Jows . ond this ostimate, our South African correspondent suggests, is not inaccurate. Verwoerd's policy is that of intimidation of all white support for revolutionary change in South Africas he sees the Jewish population as a possible source of funds for the progressive forces. The Jews in South Africa occupy a greater proportion of posts among professions than their 4% proportion of the white population would suggest, and Verwoerd is using this fact to blackmail them into a neutral position with the threat of discrimination and the introduction of his pet idea of a “quota",. Our South African correspondent informs us that this strategy appears to be paying off amongst the responsible Jewish community which is oxtroemely apprehensive. Tho South African Board of Deputies is scared to take a firm stand on tho racial question. Anti-semitic letters appear frequently in South African newspapers and Verwoerl publicly deplores the fact that so many Jews vote for the Progressive Party. In 1960 a Rabbi was deported for his outspoken sermons.
Nevertheless, Vorwoerd has come under pressure to repudiate the insults hurled from the Government benches at Jewish opposition members, To date, however, the only outcome has been the reply by Nationalist M.P., Blaar Coetzee, that the United Party is more anti-semitic than the Nationalists,